maichor

Sorry, I guess full sized files can only be shared when you pony up the dough. Its not available on their free service. I will look around to see who I want to go with to get a better setup. I would like to do a writeup on a webpage, but I don't think the free services will cut it. You can see picures though. http://f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/maichor75104

Well, I flew my two brothers and my Dad in to help me mount the VR kit. We spent ~10 hours a day in the garage for a week and got a lot done. 1) Front and rear suspension all done! 2) Front coil overs with Z31 hubs, 4X4 brakes and 275/40/17's 3) Rear 240SX suspension w/ R230 VLSD and 335/35/17's 4) Floor pans & subframes buttoned up and painted with POR15 5) Velo Rossa Kit installed but rough 6) LS1 LIVES! -But, I will finish body work and paint before I reinstall it. I have to say, all of the work/bonding was great but nothing compared to the thrill of that thing firing up. It was beautiful. Cranked, but would not fire. . . Fired with ether. . . We checked injectors that were not working before. . . Got them all working with the fuel rail off, installed it and the video you see is the first run after sitting for almost 2 years. It runs like new, no smoke, no tuning required! http://www.screenblast.com/Maichor/VeloRossa If the above link doesn't work for you, go here: http://briefcase.yahoo.com/maichor75104 Look under kit install. The link will probably only work for a few weeks since the sharing service will change soon. Since the car was not drivable, we went to Speedzone to celebrate. It must have been quite a sight to see a three 30+ brothers and 60 year old Dad in the Mini Dragsters and Grand Prix cars. What a great week!

Actually, the lower control arm has the tightest clearance. It is only 1/4"at the top of the suspension travel and ~1/2 at the bottom. The closest the spring gets to the wheel is ~9/16" All in all, the wheels fit very nicely.

A few more pics were added

Congrats! My car is still in pieces all over the garage floor! But, I am no longer taking it apart! It won't be too long now!

By popular demand, I added a few more pics. I should have pics of my permanent mounting setup soon. http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/maichor75104/lst?.dir=/Velo+Rossa-Zcar&.view=t

A HUGE fan! I have 2 in my garage and in the summer it is almost bearable. As far as tools, it all depends on what you are going to do. I have used my Sawzall, grinder, and welder more than anything else.

The upper portion is the stock aluminum Corvette tower. My two brothers and I spent one evening when we got together last Christmas in a friends machine shop to make them. It was so much fun, they are coming to Texas to help install the VR kit and get as much done as possible in a week.

Obviously, this does require extensive modifications, I made a few mistakes, actually cut out too much of the unibody etc., but it is all working out. I didn't have to backhalve the car for the suspension points. . . but, that would probably have been easier! To position the subframe, I made a plate that bolts up to the mustache bar mouning points and has the subframe mounting points drilled on center to those holes. That put the subframe square and centered. As far as mounting the subrame, new reinforced areas had to be welded in for all 4 mounting points and the bottom of the tool carrier cubby holes had to be removed. Then, the unibody needed to be reinforced because I cut most of the original rear portions of it out. As someone mentioned, the best view will be from underneath. I do not have any pics of that. The car is my homemade rotisserie right now, so maybe this weekend I can flip the car up on its side and take some pics. Check back on this post after the weekend and I should have them up. I hope!

Thanks for the compliments and encouragement guys. Yes, I do have more pictures, lots of them, but I am very pressed for time and so I haven't uploaded too many yet. Things will calm down in a few weeks and I will be able to spend more time on the computer. Front suspension? Well, I am doing my best to fit the Cobra R 17 X 9's on with Z31 hubs. It will be close since I have about 2" of flare up there. The front tires are 275/40/17's, also from a Viper. I picked up the set of Michellin XGT's, used but not dead, on ebay for $50. Gotta love ebay! Factory specs say you should have 11 inch wheels for 335's I may move down to 315's until a rich uncle dies and leaves me $ for CCW's or some other custom wheels. Cobra wheels are the perfect offset to give max back spacing. As far as the diff handling the power. I don't know, but I have Q45 shafts which are larger diameter and the diff is not from the SX it is from the Q45, R230. If it breaks, I did my best. I may have to learn how to control that right foot! :flamedevil:

Well, I am almost done with the suspension. So, here is what I've got: 5 lugs, big disc brakes with e-brake, tough axles and VLSD diff. with monster 335/35/17 tires. I am using Cobra R wheels, Viper tires, 240SX subframe and suspension arms, 11+" vented rotors with calipers from an Infiniti J30 (bolt-on), and R230 VLSD Infiniti Q45 diff. (3.54). I wanted the 3.7 300ZTT but I picked up this diff for $100. Total cost I think has been relatively low. My two brothers, both mechanical engineering guys and my Dad are coming next week to help me mount my VR kit and to finish up all the odds and ends. So, hopefully, by September I will have a running, driving LS1 powered Velo Rossa. I will take time then to sort through all of my pictures and do a write up on the LS1, Suspension etc. Wish me luck! I only have a few pics up now but here they are. http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/maichor75104/lst?.dir=/Velo+Rossa-Zcar&.view=t You may have to cut and paste this link of old pics of my LS1 mounted. http://www.geocities.com/maichor75104/

Where should I post info on my VR project? The kit car forum is gone. I am doing some things that I think will be valuable to others. Such as 240SX suspension with 335/35/17's, LS1 swap, subframes etc. The LS1 stuff goes in the Chevy forum. Suspension in suspension, but what I am doing in the rear will only work on something with ~6" flares, so it is kind of kit specific. Thanks.

True, true. However, here is where I stand so far: $250-Complete rear suspension and subframe from 240sx but using Q45 hubs and bigger J30 vented rotors. $100-R230 and CV axles. $320-shortened shafts from Moser $80-Metal to reinforce after cutting out some of the Z stuff. ------- $750 Not to bad for a multilink setup if I ever go sub 11's. Yeah right!

That's what he told me. I guess it is the best option. Thanks. I guess I should not have paid for the extra axle I bought. I bought an extra of the shorter side so it would be easier to modify.

Here is the whole story. I have 5 lug hubs which push the tire out ~1 3/4. I have 17X9 Cobra R wheels and 275/40/17's on the front. The coilovers may fit as is, but I would like to decrease BS by 1/2 and I know that won't work even with the coil overs. I just wanted to know where the spring perch would be with 8" springs. But, from what Terry said, you would have to use a 6" which is just too short I think. By the way I used your info, Terry to do my PS. I read once where you posted that the Ford rack is ? shorter than the Z. I am looking to redrill my cross member for the lower control arms, how much should I move them in?

I am looking everywhere to get my CV shafts cut and resplined or, to get new ones made. Where did you get yours done? Anyone, anyone? Terry, Owen, Tim? Should I be looking for 300ZXTT shafts. Mine are 28 spline 30.3mm or 1.20 inch diameter. Moser said they might be able to do it. Any other ideas?

If so, what rates, is your car lowered, how much, did you section the struts and does the spring perch rest above the tire. Oh yeah, what size tire? I am running a fairly tall tire and I would like to see if I can get the spring perch above the tire. 6" are very short and would not reach the strut tube and therefore the spring perch at my estimated ride height. I am about to buy coilovers and I need to know what is possible, I asked Ross about why sectioning is necessary with the coil overs but still haven't heard back. It seems to me that by sectioning the struts you lose the possibility of having the spring perch above the tire. Right now I only have 2" of strut above the tire, if I section 2" even if the perch is still above the tire, I have no adjustability. Got any answers for me?

Check out fonebooth.com At the bottom is a link for Z stuff. He explains the 5 lug options. You have to use a spacer in the rear to get the same offset as the fronts when you use the ZX hubs. He sells the ZX hubs for $100. And, yes, if you change to a 5 lug you have to change your brakes. I have a set with vented disc brakes and calipers that I will sell for $100 for the whole setup if you want. The rears need to be redrilled. to 5 on 4.5 which is the same for Nissan, Lexus, Toyota, Ford, etc. Chevy is 5 on 4.75 centers. As far as tire size goes, there is always a thread on it. Just do a search. You should find what you need.

Since you guys are talking about tires, I'll throw in a few pics of what I am working on for my Velo Rossa project. Hybrid suspension of Nissan 240SX, 200SX, Infinity J30 and Q45 parts, all so that I can have big brakes, 5 lugs and 335/35/17's. Tires are used Michellin XGT's from a Viper. Paid $50 for the tires to check fit. I also got the 275/40/17's for the front and I think they will fit too, that will be the project for today. The VR kit has 3" flares in the front, 6" in the rear. I will probably go to 315's in the rear, which fit my wheels better, are more common and cost less. It is nice to have 6" of flare to play with!

Jeromio, my gauges are from a 2001 WS6 Trans AM. Do you know if it is a 0-90ohm? My guess is that 99 - 02 are all the same. I will check with the source you listed. Garcia, the sender is fried as well as the pump. There are also 2? other sensors in the same in tank unit, tank pressure and fuel pressure? Anyway, I do not know if they work because the pump is not running. I guess it will be more for the fuel cell setup, these are the prices I found. $170 for fuel cell and sender (Summit) $130 for regulator (ls1speed.com) $145 for pump (ls1speed.com) Total $445 I will try ebay for a used pump, it would be nice to get one for <$100.

I am considering dumping the Camaro tank because the fuel pump and sender are dead (a $400 plus part). I could get a large fuel cell, external regulator, and a nice 255 gph pump for less than that. Summit sells a cell with foam, sump, and a 0-90 Ohm GM sender. I assume that will work with the stock Camaro gauges? I like the idea of the vapor purge system and everything the stock tank has, but is it worth keeping? A fuel cell would make for a cleaner install and more room for my exhaust. I would greatly appreciate any insights.

:flamedevil: CONGRATULATIONS! Everything looks great. I can't wait to see it in person. Maybe you could take me for a ride? You know, Hill is only 15 minutes from Arlington . . . let me know and I can swing by and visit. You and Gary need to get to Ennis and go head to head! As for me I will be in the garage for a while. I am backtracking to get everything ready for the Velo Rossa kit which will arrive late July. My goal is to be chasing you around by December. Or, maybe you will be chasing me?!

I am lucky, because the VR kit gives me 2" of flare up front so thats an extra 50 mm per side so you are talking 285 up front, that is why I will go with 315's or 325, in the rear. Blueovalz has 315's all around but he has huge flares front and rear. It is all just a dream at this point. But, my goal is to have it driving, not complet in December. So, between now and then, floor pans, subframes, rear suspension, rest of wiring and plumbing and mount the kit. No paint or finish interior by that date. Wish me luck.

Get both! Drive the Z28 around until you wreck it, take the motor and trans and stick it in your Z! How is that for some bad advice?

How did we get on the tire subject? I was actually looking for the R230 300zxtt diff. to get the 3.7 ratio. Isn't that what they had? The non turbo had a 4.08 R200. I finally went with what I found. R230 from a Q45 (3.54). The reason I wanted the taller gear was because I will have some big tires under there, taller and much wider than before. 6 the gear redline is about 170 mph, first gear redline is 55 mph. Anyway, back to the tires. Since I am cutting the suspension down anyway, I have been trying to decide how much tire is too much. Is there such a thing? :flamedevil: I am shooting for a minimum of 315/35/17's on 11 inch rims. On a 12 in rim I can go up to viper size and beyond (335 or 345 in a 30 series. This would never be possible without my custom suspension and 5" of flare per side from the Velo Rossa Kit. Price goes way up when you get that big, but you know what they say, "wider is better"